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Why do we assume smell is our weakest sense?

When it comes to the power of association, smell is unmatched, says Jonas Olofsson. It can take us back to childhood in an instant

25 January 2025

9:00 AM

25 January 2025

9:00 AM

The Forgotten Sense: The New Science of Smell Jonas Olofsson

William Collins, pp.224, 18.99

My cat can smell depression. Another family cat could smell my stepfather’s dementia. They both became more affectionate and tactile: the dementia-smelling cat would gently paw my stepfather, when he hadn’t even liked her when he had been well. My cat comes in close when my mood is darker. Perhaps both cats were using other cues, but I’m convinced it was smell.

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